The third day of main-draw action at the Italian Open delivered a mix of dominance and drama, as world No.1 Jannik Sinner extended his Masters 1000 winning streak while top-ranked women’s seed Aryna Sabalenka suffered a stunning early exit. Sinner, chasing a Career Golden Masters, dispatched Sebastian Ofner in straight sets, but it was Sabalenka’s loss to veteran Sorana Cirstea that stole the headlines at the Foro Italico.
Jannik Sinner continued his remarkable run at ATP 1000 events with a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 victory over Austria’s Sebastian Ofner. The Italian, who recently became the first man to triumph at five consecutive Masters tournaments, never faced a break point in the 91-minute contest. Sinner is now one win away from joining Novak Djokovic as the only players to claim all nine Masters shields, a feat known as the Career Golden Masters. “The first match, the most important thing is not to lose,” Sinner said. “The level will eventually come day by day. Since day one, this has been a very special tournament for me.”
On the women’s side, the shock of the round came when Aryna Sabalenka surrendered a set and a break lead to lose 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 to Romania’s Sorana Cirstea. The 36-year-old, ranked 26th, notched her first career win over a world No.1 in her farewell season. Sabalenka, who called a medical timeout for lower back pain while trailing 4-3 in the decider, admitted the physical issue limited her performance. “Felt like my body was limiting me from performing on the highest level,” she said. “She stepped in and played incredible tennis. I guess we never lose, we only learn.” It was the second successive early departure for the Belarusian after a quarter-final loss in Madrid.
Defending champion Jasmine Paolini also bowed out, wasting three match points in a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 defeat to Elise Mertens. The Italian crowd favourite looked set to advance but faltered in the crucial moments, allowing the Belgian to stage a remarkable turnaround. Meanwhile, third seed Coco Gauff survived a major scare against Argentine qualifier Solana Sierra, rallying from a set down to win 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 and keep her title hopes alive.
British interest ended when Cameron Norrie fell 6-3, 7-5 to Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante. Elsewhere, fifth seed Ben Shelton’s clay-court struggles persisted with a 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 loss to Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili. Felix Auger-Aliassime, hampered by a leg problem, succumbed in straight sets to Mariano Navone, while seventh seed Daniil Medvedev advanced via walkover after Tomas Machac withdrew due to illness.
The Italian Open continues to provide twists and turns as the season’s clay-court swing nears its climax. With Sinner looking every bit the dominant force in men’s tennis and several top women’s seeds falling early, the path to the title is wide open. Fans can catch all the action live on Sky Sports Tennis.
Based on reporting from SkySports | News.
